RCW 36.70A.130

Comprehensive plans—Review procedures and schedules—Amendments.

(1)(a) Each comprehensive land use plan and development regulations shall be subject to continuing review and evaluation by the county or city that adopted them. Except as otherwise provided, a county or city shall take legislative action to review and, if needed, revise its comprehensive land use plan and development regulations to ensure the plan and regulations comply with the requirements of this chapter according to the deadlines in subsections (4) and (5) of this section.

(b) Except as otherwise provided, a county or city not planning under RCW 36.70A.040 shall take action to review and, if needed, revise its policies and development regulations regarding critical areas and natural resource lands adopted according to this chapter to ensure these policies and regulations comply with the requirements of this chapter according to the deadlines in subsections (4) and (5) of this section. Legislative action means the adoption of a resolution or ordinance following notice and a public hearing indicating at a minimum, a finding that a review and evaluation has occurred and identifying the revisions made, or that a revision was not needed and the reasons therefor.

(c) The review and evaluation required by this subsection shall include, but is not limited to, consideration of critical area ordinances and, if planning under RCW 36.70A.040, an analysis of the population allocated to a city or county from the most recent ten-year population forecast by the office of financial management.

(d) Any amendment of or revision to a comprehensive land use plan shall conform to this chapter. Any amendment of or revision to development regulations shall be consistent with and implement the comprehensive plan.

(2)(a) Each county and city shall establish and broadly disseminate to the public a public participation program consistent with RCW 36.70A.035 and 36.70A.140 that identifies procedures and schedules whereby updates, proposed amendments, or revisions of the comprehensive plan are considered by the governing body of the county or city no more frequently than once every year, except that, until December 31, 2015, the program shall provide for consideration of amendments of an urban growth area in accordance with *RCW 36.70A.1301 once every year. "Updates" means to review and revise, if needed, according to subsection (1) of this section, and the deadlines in subsections (4) and (5) of this section or in accordance with the provisions of subsection (6) of this section. Amendments may be considered more frequently than once per year under the following circumstances:

(i) The initial adoption of a subarea plan. Subarea plans adopted under this subsection (2)(a)(i) must clarify, supplement, or implement jurisdiction-wide comprehensive plan policies, and may only be adopted if the cumulative impacts of the proposed plan are addressed by appropriate environmental review under chapter 43.21C RCW;

(ii) The development of an initial subarea plan for economic development located outside of the one hundred year floodplain in a county that has completed a state-funded pilot project that is based on watershed characterization and local habitat assessment;

(iii) The adoption or amendment of a shoreline master program under the procedures set forth in chapter 90.58 RCW;

(iv) The amendment of the capital facilities element of a comprehensive plan that occurs concurrently with the adoption or amendment of a county or city budget; or

(v) The adoption of comprehensive plan amendments necessary to enact a planned action under **RCW 43.21C.031(2), provided that amendments are considered in accordance with the public participation program established by the county or city under this subsection (2)(a) and all persons who have requested notice of a comprehensive plan update are given notice of the amendments and an opportunity to comment.

(b) Except as otherwise provided in (a) of this subsection, all proposals shall be considered by the governing body concurrently so the cumulative effect of the various proposals can be ascertained. However, after appropriate public participation a county or city may adopt amendments or revisions to its comprehensive plan that conform with this chapter whenever an emergency exists or to resolve an appeal of a comprehensive plan filed with the growth management hearings board or with the court.

(3)(a) Each county that designates urban growth areas under RCW 36.70A.110 shall review, according to the schedules established in subsection (5) of this section, its designated urban growth area or areas, and the densities permitted within both the incorporated and unincorporated portions of each urban growth area. In conjunction with this review by the county, each city located within an urban growth area shall review the densities permitted within its boundaries, and the extent to which the urban growth occurring within the county has located within each city and the unincorporated portions of the urban growth areas.

(b) The county comprehensive plan designating urban growth areas, and the densities permitted in the urban growth areas by the comprehensive plans of the county and each city located within the urban growth areas, shall be revised to accommodate the urban growth projected to occur in the county for the succeeding twenty-year period. The review required by this subsection may be combined with the review and evaluation required by RCW 36.70A.215.

(4) Except as provided in subsection (6) of this section, counties and cities shall take action to review and, if needed, revise their comprehensive plans and development regulations to ensure the plan and regulations comply with the requirements of this chapter as follows:

(a) On or before December 1, 2004, for Clallam, Clark, Jefferson, King, Kitsap, Pierce, Snohomish, Thurston, and Whatcom counties and the cities within those counties;

(b) On or before December 1, 2005, for Cowlitz, Island, Lewis, Mason, San Juan, Skagit, and Skamania counties and the cities within those counties;

(c) On or before December 1, 2006, for Benton, Chelan, Douglas, Grant, Kittitas, Spokane, and Yakima counties and the cities within those counties; and

(5) Except as otherwise provided in subsections (6) and (8) of this section, following the review of comprehensive plans and development regulations required by subsection (4) of this section, counties and cities shall take action to review and, if needed, revise their comprehensive plans and development regulations to ensure the plan and regulations comply with the requirements of this chapter as follows:

(a) On or before June 30, 2015, and every eight years thereafter, for King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties and the cities within those counties;

(b) On or before June 30, 2016, and every eight years thereafter, for Clallam, Clark, Island, Jefferson, Kitsap, Mason, San Juan, Skagit, Thurston, and Whatcom counties and the cities within those counties;

(c) On or before June 30, 2017, and every eight years thereafter, for Benton, Chelan, Cowlitz, Douglas, Kittitas, Lewis, Skamania, Spokane, and Yakima counties and the cities within those counties; and

(d) On or before June 30, 2018, and every eight years thereafter, for Adams, Asotin, Columbia, Ferry, Franklin, Garfield, Grant, Grays Harbor, Klickitat, Lincoln, Okanogan, Pacific, Pend Oreille, Stevens, Wahkiakum, Walla Walla, and Whitman counties and the cities within those counties.

(6)(a) Nothing in this section precludes a county or city from conducting the review and evaluation required by this section before the deadlines established in subsections (4) and (5) of this section. Counties and cities may begin this process early and may be eligible for grants from the department, subject to available funding, if they elect to do so.

(b) A county that is subject to a deadline established in subsection (4)(b) through (d) of this section and meets the following criteria may comply with the requirements of this section at any time within the thirty-six months following the deadline established in subsection (4) of this section: The county has a population of less than fifty thousand and has had its population increase by no more than seventeen percent in the ten years preceding the deadline established in subsection (4) of this section as of that date.

(c) A city that is subject to a deadline established in subsection (4)(b) through (d) of this section and meets the following criteria may comply with the requirements of this section at any time within the thirty-six months following the deadline established in subsection (4) of this section: The city has a population of no more than five thousand and has had its population increase by the greater of either no more than one hundred persons or no more than seventeen percent in the ten years preceding the deadline established in subsection (4) of this section as of that date.

(d) A county or city that is subject to a deadline established in subsection (4)(d) of this section and that meets the criteria established in (b) or (c) of this subsection may comply with the requirements of subsection (4)(d) of this section at any time within the thirty-six months after the extension provided in (b) or (c) of this subsection.

(e) A county that is subject to a deadline established in subsection (5)(b) through (d) of this section and meets the following criteria may comply with the requirements of this section at any time within the twenty-four months following the deadline established in subsection (5) of this section: The county has a population of less than fifty thousand and has had its population increase by no more than seventeen percent in the ten years preceding the deadline established in subsection (5) of this section as of that date.

(f) A city that is subject to a deadline established in subsection (5)(b) through (d) of this section and meets the following criteria may comply with the requirements of this section at any time within the twenty-four months following the deadline established in subsection (5) of this section: The city has a population of no more than five thousand and has had its population increase by the greater of either no more than one hundred persons or no more than seventeen percent in the ten years preceding the deadline established in subsection (5) of this section as of that date.

(g) State agencies are encouraged to provide technical assistance to the counties and cities in the review of critical area ordinances, comprehensive plans, and development regulations.

(7)(a) The requirements imposed on counties and cities under this section shall be considered "requirements of this chapter" under the terms of RCW 36.70A.040(1). Only those counties and cities that meet the following criteria may receive grants, loans, pledges, or financial guarantees under chapter 43.155 or 70.146 RCW:

(i) Complying with the deadlines in this section;

(ii) Demonstrating substantial progress towards compliance with the schedules in this section for development regulations that protect critical areas; or

(iii) Complying with the extension provisions of subsection (6)(b), (c), or (d) of this section.

(b) A county or city that is fewer than twelve months out of compliance with the schedules in this section for development regulations that protect critical areas is making substantial progress towards compliance. Only those counties and cities in compliance with the schedules in this section may receive preference for grants or loans subject to the provisions of RCW 43.17.250.

(8)(a) Except as otherwise provided in (c) of this subsection, if a participating watershed is achieving benchmarks and goals for the protection of critical areas functions and values, the county is not required to update development regulations to protect critical areas as they specifically apply to agricultural activities in that watershed.

(b) A county that has made the election under RCW 36.70A.710(1) may only adopt or amend development regulations to protect critical areas as they specifically apply to agricultural activities in a participating watershed if:

(i) A work plan has been approved for that watershed in accordance with RCW 36.70A.725;

(ii) The local watershed group for that watershed has requested the county to adopt or amend development regulations as part of a work plan developed under RCW 36.70A.720;

(iii) The adoption or amendment of the development regulations is necessary to enable the county to respond to an order of the growth management hearings board or court;

(iv) The adoption or amendment of development regulations is necessary to address a threat to human health or safety; or

(v) Three or more years have elapsed since the receipt of funding.

(c) Beginning ten years from the date of receipt of funding, a county that has made the election under RCW 36.70A.710(1) must review and, if necessary, revise development regulations to protect critical areas as they specifically apply to agricultural activities in a participating watershed in accordance with the review and revision requirements and timeline in subsection (5) of this section. This subsection (8)(c) does not apply to a participating watershed that has determined under RCW 36.70A.720(2)(c)(ii) that the watershed's goals and benchmarks for protection have been met.

**(2) The requirements for a planned action were moved by 2012 1st sp.s. c 1 from RCW 43.21C.031 to RCW 43.21C.440.

Intent—2011 c 353: "It is the legislature's intent to provide local governments with more time to meet certain statutory requirements. Many cities and counties in Washington are facing revenue shortfalls, higher expenses, and more difficulty with borrowing money as a result of the economic downturn. The effects of the economic downturn on the budgets of local governments will be felt most deeply from 2010 to 2012. Local governments are facing the combined impact of decreased tax revenues, a falloff in state and federal aid, and increased demand for social services. With the loss of tax revenue and state and federal aid, local governments are being forced to make significant cuts that will eliminate jobs, curtail essential services, and increase the number of people in need. Additionally, local governments are struggling to comply with certain statutory requirements. Local governments want to comply with these statutory requirements, but with budget constraints, they need more time to do so. The legislature does not intend to remove any existing statutory requirement, but rather modify the time under which a local government must meet certain statutory requirements." [ 2011 c 353 § 1.]

Intent—2006 c 285: "There is a statewide interest in maintaining coordinated planning as called for in the legislative findings of the growth management act, RCW 36.70A.010. It is the intent of the legislature that smaller, slower-growing counties and cities be provided with flexibility in meeting the requirements to review local plans and development regulations in RCW 36.70A.130, while ensuring coordination and consistency with the plans of neighboring cities and counties." [ 2006 c 285 § 1.]

Intent—2005 c 294: "The legislature recognizes the importance of appropriate and meaningful land use measures and that such measures are critical to preserving and fostering the quality of life enjoyed by Washingtonians. The legislature recognizes also that the growth management act requires counties and cities to review and, if needed, revise their comprehensive plans and development regulations on a cyclical basis. These requirements, which often require significant compliance efforts by local governments are, in part, an acknowledgment of the continual changes that occur within the state, and the need to ensure that land use measures reflect the collective wishes of its citizenry.

The legislature acknowledges that only those jurisdictions in compliance with the review and revision schedules of the growth management act are eligible to receive funds from the public works assistance and water quality accounts in the state treasury. The legislature further recognizes that some jurisdictions that are not yet in compliance with these review and revision schedules have demonstrated substantial progress towards compliance.

The legislature, therefore, intends to grant jurisdictions that are not in compliance with requirements for development regulations that protect critical areas, but are demonstrating substantial progress towards compliance with these requirements, twelve months of additional eligibility to receive grants, loans, pledges, or financial guarantees from the public works assistance and water quality accounts in the state treasury. The legislature intends to specify, however, that only counties and cities in compliance with the review and revision schedules of the growth management act may receive preference for financial assistance from these accounts." [ 2005 c 294 § 1.]

Effective date—2005 c 294: "This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes effect immediately [May 5, 2005]." [ 2005 c 294 § 3.]